Response for project 199802100: Hood River Fish Habitat
Comment on proposed FY 2006 budget
The council staff fiscal year 2006 budget of $699,626 identified for the Hood River Habitat Project (project no. 1988-021-00) is both consistent with expectations and sufficient to implement the scope and nature of activities approved for the project.
Accomplishments since the last review
| Coordination | Coordination with other agencies, interest groups, and private landowners was required to complete the work from 2002-2005. | |
| Provide Technical Review | The West Fork Hood River Irrigation Feasibility Study was completed in 2004. It evaluated and reviewed alternatives to irrigation withdrawl from the West Fork Hood River. | |
| Produce Plan | The Hood River Action Plan was completed in 2002 and identified projects and strategies aimed at improving water quality and fish populations in the Hood River subbasin. | |
| Produce Annual Report | Annual reports have been submitted accordingly. | |
| Produce Status Report | Status reports have been submitted on a monthly basis. | |
| # of miles of fence (0.01 mi.) | 1.2 miles fenced between three fencing projects. | |
| Quantity of water protected by screening, as determined by what is stated in the water right or calculated based on flow rate (0.1 acre-feet/year) | 54,300 acre-feet/year | |
| Is the screen New or a Replacement? (N/R) | Replacement | |
| Does the screen meet NOAA/FSOC specs? (Y/N) | Yes | |
| Flow rate at the screen diversion allowed by the water right. (0.1 cfs) | 75 cfs | |
| If installing a ladder, does the ladder meet NOAA specifications for attraction flow, pool dimensions, jump height, etc? (Y/N) | There were no ladder installations. In the case of the two culvert replacements and the two removals, all specifications met NOAA criteria. | |
| Does the structure remove or replace a fish passage barrier? (Y/N) | All culvert replacements and removals replaced passage barriers. | |
| # of miles of habitat accessed (0.1 mi.) | Evans Creek Culvert: 2.0 miles; Baldwin Creek Culvert: 1.7 miles; Glacier/Evans Project: 0.6 miles (The barrier removal was only part of this project.) | |
| Was barrier Full or Partial? (F/P) | Evans Creek Culvert: Full; Baldwin Creek Culvert: Partial; Glacier/Evans Project: both Full | |
| Estimated # of miles of total stream reach improvement | Glacier/Evans Project: 4.0 miles; East Fork Phase 1 and 2a: following completion of this project 5.0 miles of Neal Creek will have improved water quality; 10.5 miles of Hood River and 7.5 miles of East Fork Hood will have water conserved. | |
| Amount of unprotected water flow returned to the stream by conservation (cfs) | Glacier/Evans Project: approximately 1 cfs; East Fork Project: approximately 5 cfs | |
| Estimated # of miles of primary stream reach improvement | Glacier/Evans Project: 4.0 miles; East Fork Project: 5.0 miles of Neal Creek will have improved water quality; 10.5 miles of Hood River and 7.5 miles of East Fork Hood will have water conserved. |
2002: Hood River Action Plan completed; 2002: Farmers Irrigation Screen installation (replacement screen for 75 cfs diversion on the mainstem Hood River); 2002: Upper Baldwin Creek fence (0.2 miles); 2002: Shelly Creek fence (0.5 miles) 2003: Glacier/Evans Creek Passage and Pipe Project (removal of two culverts, piping, and elimination of interbasin transfer of water); 2003: Evans Creek culvert replacement 2004: East Fork Irrigation Passage/Pipe Phase 1 (1.1 miles of 72” pipe); 2004: Baldwin Creek culvert replacement; 2004: West Fork Hood River Irrigation Feasibility study completed; 2004: Emil Creek fence (0.5 miles) 2005: East Fork Irrigation Passage/Pipe Phase 2a (0.7 miles of 48” pipe); 2005: West Fork Large Wood Placement [in progress]
FY 2006 goals and anticipated accomplishments
| Coordination | Coordination with other agencies, interest groups, and landowners will be necessary to complete the scheduled work in FY 2006. | |
| Produce Annual Report | An annual report will be produced to describe all of the activities that occurred in FY 2006. | |
| Produce Status Report | Status reports and/or milestones will be reported to BPA on a consistent basis in FY 2006. | |
| # of stream miles treated (0.01 mi.) | 0.5 miles | |
| # of structures installed | 21 | |
| Start and end lat/long of treated reach (0.1") | start latitude:045 degrees 27' 25.8"N start longitude:121 degrees 46'47.5"W; end latitude:045 degrees 27'44.8" N end longitude:121 degrees 46'49.3"W | |
| # of miles of habitat accessed (0.1 mi.) | 4.5 miles | |
| Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data | Organophosphate pesticide monitoring in the East Fork Hood River subbasin. This work has included annual sampling since 2000. The work includes: water column concentrations, macroinvertebrate assemblages, and steelhead biomarkers. | |
| Estimated # of miles of total stream reach improvement | 5.0 miles of Neal Creek: improved water quality; 10.5 miles of Hood River and 7.5 miles of East Fork Hood: water conservation | |
| Amount of unprotected water flow returned to the stream by conservation (cfs) | approximately 5 cfs | |
| Amount of unprotected water flow returned to the stream by conservation (acre-feet) | approximately 3,620 acrefeet/year | |
| Estimated # of miles of primary stream reach improvement | 5.0 miles of Neal Creek will have improved water quality by eliminating interbasin transfer of water from the glacial East Fork to the spring-fed Neal Creek. This project will also eliminate a partial fish passage barrier and an ill-functioning screen. |
The Hood River Habitat Project goals for FY 2006 include the following. Finish Phase 2b of the East Fork Irrigation Passage/Pipe Project. This will complete the second of this three phase project. This work will be cost shared with other funds. Upon completion this project will open 2.5 miles of steelhead spawning habitat, eliminate interbasin transfer of water, conserve approximately 5 cfs of water by converting ditch to pipe, remove the need for the current ill-functioning rotary drum fish screen. The last phase of this project is scheduled to be finished in 2007. Monitor pesticide concentrations in relation to East Fork Hood River habitat utilizing water samples, macroinvertebrate assemblages, and steelhead biomarkers. This is part of an on-going study since 2000, however it was included in the Hood River M&E Project (no. 1988-053-03). This information will also be used as part of a larger monitoring plan for the East Fork Hood River Irrigation Passage/Pipe Project listed above. Partners include ODEQ, Portland State University, Hood River SWCD, and ODFW. Remove a fish passage barrier and install a fish screen for a diversion on Tony Creek, a tributary to the Middle Fork Hood River that has listed steelhead and bull trout. This will open up approximately 4.0 miles of steelhead and bull trout habitat in Tony Creek. Implement the West Fork Large Wood Project during the 2006 instream work window. Work on this project was initiated in 2005, and due to permitting delays implementation was not possible in 2005. Preliminary designs have been completed, cost share funding has been secured, and permitting has been initiated. This work was not covered under the HIP Biological Opinion, therefore an independent consultation with NOAA Fisheries will be required.
Subbasin planning
How is this project consistent with subbasin plans?
The EDT model suggested that limiting factors to chinook and steelhead include: habitat quantity, channel stability, habitat complexity, streamflows, and sediment (p.175 Hood River Subbasin Management Plan). The Hood River Habitat Project (HR Habitat Project) aims to address all of these key factors. The Hood River Subbasin Plan incorporates the goals of the Hood River Watershed Action Plan (p.177). The HR Habitat Project has in the past and will in the future utilize the Hood River Watershed Action Plan as a framework to guide project selection. The HR Habitat Project is designed to implement projects that address many of the factors that effect the objectives stated in 6.2.1 (pp.183-187 Biological Objectives: Aquatic Species). The EDT model showed that current habitat is limiting to the chinook and steelhead populations in the Hood River. Specifically, streamflows, habitat complexity, and sediment are factors that affect anadromous fish populations in the Hood. Specific projects and general actions that need to be implemented to achieve the objectives outlined in the previous sections are stated in the Prioritized Strategies: Aquatic Species section (6.3.1 pp.190-191). The HR Habitat Project has used the Hood River Habitat Plan, the Restoration Plan, the Watershed Action Plan, and will use the Subbasin Plan to guide individual project selection. Partners and cost-sharing are incorporated when available and/or necessary. Restoring streamflow, eliminating passage barriers, improving and monitoring water quality, and increasing channel complexity are strategies that will be addressed in the FY 2006 Hood River Habitat Project.
How do goals match subbasin plan priorities?
Regarding the Hood River Subbasin Plan priorities, the FY 2006 Hood River Habitat Project addresses issues that are specifically listed in the Prioritized Strategies (6.3 pp.190-195). The following specific projects will comprise the Hood River Habitat Project. The East Fork Irrigation Passage and Pipe project is mentioned on p.192 as the first issue listed in the Protection and Improvement of Water Quality. Monitoring pesticide concentrations and research for improving pesticide application practices are listed third on p.192 in the same section. The Tony Creek diversion is specifically mentioned in the bull trout strategies (p.193). This project will not only benefit bull trout but also listed steelhead. The implementation of the West Fork Large Wood Placement is also specifically addressed in the spring chinook strategies (p.194). A key spawning and rearing section of the West Fork was identified and preliminary design work has been completed. This project will also benefit summer steelhead spawning, incubation, and rearing.
Other comments
The Hood River Habitat Project utilizes many resources (including the Hood River Watershed Action Plan, the Hood River Restoration Plan, and the Hood River Habitat Plan) to guide annual project selection. Additionally, projects are reviewed by co-managers (ODFW) and other basin partners (USFS, SWCD, and the Hood River Watershed Group) prior to submission to BPA. The connectivity between the Hood River Production Program (project nos. 1988-053-03, 1988-053-04, 1988-053-06, and 1988-053-07) and the Hood River Habitat Project provides a basin wide view of fish recovery. On the ground habitat work enables the improvement of the watershed and its resources, which will aid in achieving the goals and objectives set by the Hood River Subbasin Plan.